Top 3 Implications of Starting a Career in New Country and How To Cope

It is becoming increasingly common for students to seek the opportunity to experience working abroad including many of ours. People will apply for positions overseas for a number of different reasons and in this article we will help demonstrate some of the most common challenges faced when making the step to working in another country. This article will also provide you with some essential hints and tips to help you overcome some of the issues associated with this big career move.

Visa Processing Challenges

Depending on how much experience you have in the field you are entering, as well as to what extent the country you are going to work in is looking to attract foreign workers, getting a visa can be an issue. Stuart an expert on dual citizenship at Citizenship Bureau thinks that it is easier handling movements under international firms than local ones.

If you are moving with a large international firm then one of the huge benefits is that they are most likely to do all the work for you and it should be a seamless process where you are required to sign a few forms.

However if you are moving abroad to work for a smaller local firm you may have to be a little more hands on and sometimes visa offices will push back on applications on the grounds that the company has not demonstrated why they need to hire a foreign worker when the same skills can be found locally.

Language Barrier

Obviously language is one of the most common key issues when moving overseas. If you are not yet conversational in the language of the country you are going to work in you might find it hard to get to your hotel/apartment on the first day you arrive. However the most important factor to consider is not whether you will be able to pick the language up, but if not speaking the language on arrival will affect your ability to work. It is important to consider if you will spend most your time speaking to English speaking Clients/Suppliers and if you will be able to communicate with those working in your office.

Time difference with Kenya

It sounds obvious but think about the impact a large time difference will have on your working day. If a lot of the work you’re doing abroad will still be reported into the London office you may find that your working hours are significantly different to what you are used to, or that your days are extended.

It is not uncommon for people in Kenya to be answering emails or be on conference calls past 9pm in order co-ordinate with New York. Equally if you are based in the US and you report in to European based workers but your home is Kenya, then there is going to be a problem.

I would have liked to talk about social life, food, and culture but it’s a social media era we live in. Nairobi isn’t so different from Amsterdam! These three are the more complicated issues you’ll face.